Floor-supporting structure of theaters and the like.



F. MBISTER. FLOOR SUPPORTING STRUCTURE 0F THEATERS AND THE LIKE.

' APPLIGATION FILED FEB. 15, 1513.

1,079,424; v Patented Nov. 25, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 WITNESSES: v I N INVE NTOR ATTORNE F. MEISTER.

FLOOR SUPPORTING STRUCTURE OF THEATERS AND THE LIKE.

AHLIOATIOH FILED FEB. 15, 1913.

2 sums-8mm 2.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR ATTORN EY A COLUMBIA} PLANODRAPH lib-.WASHINDTDN, u.c

Patented Nov. 25, 1913.

FREDERICK MEIS'IER, 0F JERSEY CITY,"1\T EW JERSEY.

FLOR-SUPBOBTING 'STRUC'IU'BIEOETH'EATERS AND THE LIKE.

'Speci'fieationof Letters Patent Application filed February 15,1913.

Patented Novt25, 1913. Serial No. 748,601.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 'I, FREDERICK MEIsTnR, a citizen of the UnitedSt'ates,residing in Jersey City, county of Hudson, and State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Floor-SupportingStructures of Theaters and the like, of which the following is such afull, clear, and exact description as will enableany one skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the -ac companying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to the construction of floors for theaters,amphitheaters and the like, and it has reference more particularly tothe fioor structures lying above the level of what is ordinarily knownas the orchestra or auditorium.

.I have illustrated a type of mycinvention in the accompanying drawings,wherein:

Figure 1 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional viewof atheater'constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a planView of parts of the structure shown in Fig. 1 with the roof supportingmembers omitted and with the floor of the balcony removed and part ofthe balcony broken away to show the mezzanine floor and stairway beneaththe same.

Referring to the drawings, in which like numbers of reference designatelike parts throughout, 1 is the main or orchestra floor on which therows :of seats like that indicated at 2 are usually placed.

3 is the proscenium arch which spans the stage, and 4, the ordinaryboxes at either side of the stage. Between the rear of "the orchestraand the front wall .5, extends a passage-way or corridor 6.

My improved structure comprises two cantaliver structures arranged upondifferent levels or planes oneabove the other, the

upper cantaliver structure 7, providing the balcony 8, on which isplaced the stepped floor 9, for the rows of seats like that indicated at10, and back of which is the balcony passage-way or corridor 11. The'lower cantaliver structure 12, provides a mezzanine floo-r 13, which islocated between the outer ends of the two cantaliver structures and eachend of the mezzanine floor is in communication with the passage-way orcorridor 6, by means of stairs 14.

By the term canta'liver structure I mean any suitable arrangement ofbeam or mea ,v

berson the cantaliver order, and each cantaliver structure :may 'be madeof single beams or built up beams. In the present construction I showthe cantaliver structures as made of composite iron work. The sup:porting columnsof the cantalivers may likewise be a single beam or maybe a built up structure slike that used in ordinary iron wor'k.In-orderto give the necessary width' or lateral dimension to the balconyand to the mezzanine floor, a series of cantalivers are employed ineachof these parts, each senies having itsown supporting column, and theinvention of course includes one such structure or .a series of thesame.

In the construction shown the lower cantaliver structure comprises pairsof horizontally arranged parallel beams 15 and 16,

an ordinary I-beam and union between the same and the respectivehorizontal beams 15 and T16, is made by means of ordinary angleplates 19and 20, which are placed between the flanges of a column 17, and thewebs of the respective beams 15 "and 16, and are riveted-to each-ofthese plates in the usual way. The outer end "of each of the horizontalbeams 15 and 16., are united with a Vertical beam 21, which is of the-'I-beam type, and which as built into the front wall 5, of thebuilding. This beam 21, and the wall-constitutetheanchorage of theouterend of the lower cantaliver structure and the respective beams 15and '16 are fastened "to the I-beam 21, [by vmeans of a U-shaped plate22, the back of which is placed against the flanges 'ofaoneoftheI-bea'ms 21, and riveted thereto, and with its free ends riveted tothe webs 'of the respective beams 15 and 16. .At suitable intervalsbetween the beams 15 and 16, are arranged vertical webs 23, which arechannel or U-shaped with the flanges thereof riveted to the webs of therespective beams between which they are interposed.

The columns 17, are arranged on a line between the back of the orchestraand the passageway or corridor 6, and they are placed on an arccorresponding with the curvature of the passage-way and the wall 5. Thepair of horizontal beams 15 and 16, are braced laterally by means ofbeams or members 24, the ends of which are secured or riveted to thehorizontal beams in any well known manner, and these cross-beams extendparallel with each other, the crossbeams 24, at each side of thestructure having their outer ends built into the side Wall 5*, of thebuilding. The cross-beams 24, oocupy the space lying substantiallybetween the row of columns 17, and the outer wall 5, and the remainderof the space between the horizontal beams 15 and 16, are braced bydiagonal braces and 26, the ends of which are united to the saidhorizontal beams of the cantaliver. The outer or free ends of thehorizontal members of the cantaliver are secured together by means of abeam 27.

The upper cantaliver structure which provides the balcony and itscorridor, comprises one or more beams or members 28, the main part ofwhich is inclined downwardly in a manner suitable for the contour of thefloor of the balcony, while the inner and free end is made horizontalfor a short distance, and the outer end is also made horizontal asindicated at 29, and for a suliicient distance to provide the necessarywidth for the balcony corridor. The outer ends of each of the in- Iclined beams 28, of the upper cantaliver are united with the verticalbeam 21, by means of ordinary angle-plates 30, so as to anchor the outerends of these members. The columns 17, extend upwardly above the lowercantaliver structure, and the upper ends are sccured'to the under sideof the respective inclined beams 28 by means of suitable brackets 31.The inclined beam 28, is shown as being a built up structure, though itmay be a single member and it is interposed between the outer ends ofthe subj acent horizontal beams 15 and 16, respectively, and these partsare united by means of a short I-beam member 32, which is passedhorizontally through the webs of the inclined beam 28, and has itsrespective ends securely united with the webs of the beams 15 and 16, bymeans of suitable angle-plates and rivets 33 and 34, respectively. Theinclined beam 28, of the upper cantaliver are laterally braced by meansof horizontally arranged cross-beams 35, which are arranged inparallelism and have their respective ends securely united with thesides of the respective inclined beams 28.

The two cantaliver structures thus described are arranged on difierentlevels or on different planes, and between their outer ends where theyare anchored and the verticalcolumns 17 which support them, ample spaceis provided for the mezzanine floor 13, the floor of which may be placeddirectly across the horizontal beams 15 and 16, in any. suitable manner,and each end of the mezzanine is provided with a stair-way 14, whichleads directly to the passage-way or corridor 6, on the level of themain floor. While the double cantaliver structure thus described, makesa special provision for the mezzanine floor, it will also be noted thatit dispenses with the use of any supporting columns in the orchestra andgives a clear and unobstructed space throughout the part of theorchestra lying beneath the balcony. I also provide a special aisle orpassage-way 36, which leads from the mezzanine floor to the steppedaisle 37, of the balcony, the floor 38, of the aisle being preferablyinclined upwardly from the mezzanine to the stepped aisle 37. This givesready access between the lower rows of seats in the balcony and themezzanine which may be used for any special purpose desired in places ofthis kind.

The roof indicated at 39, is suitably supported by trusses 40, reachingfrom the proscenium arch or wall 3, to the supporting columns 41, thelower ends of which rest upon and are secured to the inclined beams 28,of the upper cantaliver structure.

I wish to be understood as not limiting my invention to the specificforms of the structures herein shown, as it is evident that variousmodifications may be made in the different parts of the structurewithout, however, departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is 1. In a structure of the class described, thecombination of a lower load-supporting member anchored at its outer end,a support for said lower member intermediate its ends, an upperload-supporting member anchored at its outer end and inclined downwardlytoward said lower member and supported by said lower member on the sideof said support away from which said member is anchored, and a balconylocated upon said upper member, substantially as described.

2. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a lowerload-supporting member anchored at its outer end, a support for saidlower member intermediate its ends, an upper load-supporting memberanchored at its outer end and inclined downwardly toward said lowermember and supported by said lower member on the side of said supportaway from which said member is anchored, a support for said upper memberintermediate its anchorage and its point of support on said lowermember, and a balcony located upon said upper member, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a lowerload-supporting member anchored at its outer end, a support for saidlower member intermediate its ends, an upper load-supporting memberanchored at its outer end and inclined downwardly toward said lowermember and supported by said lower member on the side of said supportaway from which said member is anchored, a mezzanine floor locatedbetween the outer ends of said upper and lower member, and a balconylocated upon said upper member, substantially as described.

4. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a lowerload-supporting member anchored at its outer end, a support for saidmember intermediate its ends, an upper load-supporting member anchoredat its outer end and inclined downwardly toward said lower member andsupported by said lower member on the side of said support away fromwhich said member is anchored, a mezzanine floor located between theouter ends of said upper and lower member, a balcony located upon saidupper member, and an aisle extending from the level of the mezzaninefloor to the incline of said balcony, substantially as described.

5. In a structure of the class described, the combination of an upperand a lower loadsupporting member arranged one above the other andanchored at their outer ends, a column supporting both of said membersintermediate their ends, the said upper member being inclined downwardlytoward the lower one and being supported thereby on the side of thecolumn away from which said members are anchored, and a balcony disposedupon and supported by said upper member, substantially as described.

6. In a structure of the class described, the combination of an upperand a lower loadsupporting member anchored at their outer ends and eachhaving a support intermediate its ends, the said upper member extendinghorizontally for a short distance from its point" of anchorage and theninclined downwardly and to a point beyond the inner end of said lowermember and supported by said lower member on the side of said supportaway from which said member is anchored and a balcony following theincline of said upper member, substantially as described.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of thetwo subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK MEISTER.

Witnesses:

WILLIS FOWLER, K. O. HAS'EL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

